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“‘They are quite smart/ said Crezina, admiringly.” 


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CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 

*1)C tittle istustciati, 


w ECCOLI, there they are, Bettina ! I want to go and see them ; 
never mind about my hair.” And off rushed little Crezina, the 
only child of the Marchese di San Renato. 

“ Mamma mia ! what a child it is ! And only one side of 
her hair arranged ! ” ejaculated the maid in despair. “ The 
Signor Marchese will be vexed if she is not ready to accompany 
him ; and she has no hat on, nor an > umbrella to protect her 
from the sun ! ” 

Bettina caught up a parasol and hurried after her charge, who 
had run across the lovely garden, and stood watching the road, 
which was several feet below the garden. In the wall was one 
of those niches containing a small group of the Virgin and Child, 
so often seen in Italy. Crezina knelt on the marble seat and 
leant her elbows on the wall, listening eagerly to the sound of 
the bagpipes, or zampogni , as the Italians call them. She knew 
it was the custom of some of the peasants to come round at 
Christmas time, and play a strange, sweet melody before the 
images of the Virgin and Child placed in any open place 
on the road. They say it is the old tune that the Shepherds 
played on their way to Bethlehem after the visit of the Angels, 
announcing the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The air has never been set to music, but is taught by one 
Pifferaro to another, so is not forgotten, and the pious duty is 


6 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


never left undone. People give the wandering musicians food 
and money, but they do not ask for anything. 

Lucrezia, or Crezina as she was always called, had spent her 
winters generally in Rome, and had never before heard the 
Pifferari play their Christmas melody. She was a pretty little 
girl of eight or nine years old, with large soft brown eyes, 
fringed with black lashes, and curling dark hair, which she often 
wished might be cut off, for she was rather an impatient young 
person and disliked standing still to have it made tidy. She 
had no mother, but her father was passionately fond of her — his 
one darling — who brightened his life by her merry chatter and 

lively ways. With him she was 
always good and gentle, for she 
loved him so dearly she could 
not bear to vex him, and, though 
the governess and servants some- 
times complained that she was 
wilful and impatient, they said 
she had such a generous kind 
heart, that no one could help 
loving her. 

“ Do me the pleasure, Sig- 
norina,” said Bettina, when she 
came to Crezina, holding out the 
parasol ; “ the sun is just over 
your head ; you will be burnt to a cinder.” 

“ Macche ! Bettina, in the month of December ! The sun is 
only just pleasantly warm,” answered Crezina, tossing the parasol 
carelessly down beside her. “ Look ! here are the Pifferari come 
to play before our Madonnina ! I wonder if they have come 
from far ; they look tired, don’t they ? ” 



CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


7 


M I daresay they have walked many miles this morning, 
poverini. One of them is quite a lad.” 

The two musicians raised their hats and began their music 
Crezina listened, absorbed, and fixed her eyes eagerly on the 



faces of the Pifferari. The elder man had a rugged, bronzed 
face, with the honest, kindly expression so often met with among 
the peasants of Italy. But he did not attract Crezina’s attention 
so much as his far more intellectual-looking companion, a boy of 


8 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


twelve or so, with a beautiful dark face, eyes like black velvet 
and a clear red flushing through the olive darkness of his cheek 
as he glanced upwards at the Signorina, but which soon died 
away, leaving him pale and weary. 

“ Bettina, run quick, and ask papa to give me something for 
the Pifferari,” said Crezina, turning to the maid. 

Betta went off*, and soon returned, saying the Marchese had 
sent her some money and the musicians were to come in and 
have some refreshment in the kitchen. 

“ And now, Signorina, I beg of you to come in, and let me 
finish your toilette, or you will not be ready to accompany the 
Signore at two o’clock to the church.” 

“ Very well, Betta mia, but do not be an hour over my hair, 
I entreat you. Do you know, I asked the Pifferari their names, 
and the old man is Michele, and the boy is Giovanni, and he is 
not his son, but only a cousin, and he has never been a Pifferaro 
before. They come from a little village high up in the moun- 
tain, quite a long way off.” 

“ Davvero, Signorina, you have quite made acquaintance with 
the lad ! He seems a nice, gentle boy, and they are very grateful 
for the rest and food.” 

Crezina was quite ready to go with her father at two o’clock, 
and ran to take his hand when he called her It was a lovely 
day : the sun shone bright and warm, and only when they were 
on the shady side of the street did they remember that it was 
mid-winter, for there the light wind brought with it the sharpness 
and chill from the distant snow-covered mountains, and Crezina 
felt the comfort of her warm jacket which she had scarcely 
allowed Bettina to put on her. 

The Marchese was a tall, slender man, with rather a sad 
expression of face, which brightened up, however, when he was 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 9 

with his little daughter, and he smiled at her delight and interest 
in the Pififerari. 

“ I am so glad, Babbo mio, that we are in Albano this 
winter. In Rome, in the Palazzo, I never heard that sweet air.” 

“ I am pleased that you like it, my treasure. I wonder what 
sort of a Presepio they will have here,” said her father as he 
pushed open the church-door and held aside the heavy curtain 
to let his little girl pass in. The church was lighted only at 
one end by large candles, which threw all their light upon the 
Presepio, or representation of the Holy Family, at the time 
of our Saviour’s birth. There, large waxen figures were 
arranged : Joseph, Mary with the Babe in the manger and the 
Shepherds kneeling down before Him in adoration. Behind 
were the animals, a cow and an ass. The dim light gave all an 
air of reality, and Crezina gazed in rapt admiration at the scene, 
while the Marchese bent down and reminded her of the story of 
the birth of Jesus Christ. Shortly after the priests entered, and 
the evening service began. Crezina sat quietly beside her father 
while he knelt and prayed. Presently the sound of weeping 
made her look round, and she saw, not far from them, the young 
Pifferaro who had interested her so much. He knelt on the 
stones, and tears streamed down his cheeks as he clasped his 
hands and raised them in earnest entreaty towards the altar. 

Crezina wondered what his grief could be, and longed to tell 
her father, who, she felt certain, would be able to comfort him. 
“Dear, kind father,” she thought, “he always knows what 
to do.” 

At last the Marchese rose, and Crezina pulled his sleeve and 
directed his attention to the young peasant, whispering in his 
ear where she had seen him before, and her desire to find out 
what his trouble was. Her father looked at the boy interestedly. 


10 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


then nodded, and going up to him touched his shoulder and 
beckoned him to come to the back of the church, which was 
nearly empty by this time, the service being over. Only a 
small crowd had collected before the Presepio, the mothers 
pointing out to their little ones the different figures and 
explaining the scene. In answer to the Marchese’s enquiries, 
Giovanni told him that he was in great distress about his 
mother, who had been ill for some time, and was now so weak 
he feared she was dying: and he had no means of getting a 
doctor to come and see her. 

“ I have an old friend coming to dine with me to-day at 
four o’clock — a very clever doctor. Give me your address, my 
poor boy, and I will request him to go and see your mother 
to-morrow morning.” 

“ Mille grazie, Signor mio ! ” exclaimed the lad, kissing the 
hand of the kind gentleman. “ May God reward you ! ” 

He then gave him the name of Assunta Ferri ; they lived 
in a small village up in the mountain, and said he would come 
the next morning to the Villa San Renato in order to show the 
Doctor the way up the path, if he was willing to come. He then 
dried his eyes, and looked comforted, as he watched them walk 
away.” 

“ Has he not a nice face, papa ?” said Crezina. 

“ Yes, indeed, and seems also to have a good heart,” answered 
the Marchese. 

“ I wish I had a brother, papa ! Dolls are so stupid after 
awhile ; but my little dog Bijou and my old cat are very 
amusing.” 

“But you think a brother would have been better still, 
figlia mia? Well, perhaps so. Ah, here is our good friend, the 
Doctor !” and he went forward with outstretched hands to 









“Crezina gazed in rapt admiration at the scene.” 


Page 


9 


Ms® 









12 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


welcome the kind-looking old gentleman, who pretended to 
shake his stick fiercely at Crezina. She only laughed, and 
insisted on sticking a bunch of violets in his button-hole. 

“ Out of my very own garden, Signor Dottore,” she said 
gaily. 

“ Ah ! that is why they have such a delicious odour, I 
understand now,” answered the Doctor. “ But what business 
have you to be out just as the sun is going to set? I shall have 
you both ill ; and I came out for a holiday and not to work, so, 
as I shall not undertake to cure you, you had better be careful.” 

“ My dear friend, I have a favour to ask of you,” said the 
Marchese, taking his arm. “ You must promise to stay for more 
than one day with us, as I have some work for you to do 
to-morrow, and then you must take your holiday.” 

“And leave all my patients in 
Rome to die, eh ? You are nice, 
good Christians out here!” 

“Your partner must look after 
them. Listen.” And the Marchese 
told him of the meeting with Gio- 
vanni, and his trouble about his 
mother. 

“ What can I do for her, I won- 
der?” said the Doctor. 

“Why, cure her, of course,” put in Crezina. ' 

“ Of course, little wise one,” said the Doctor, laughing. 
u We must see what we can do.” 

“You shall have my own donkey to ride up there, dear 
Doctor,” said Crezina. “ He will bring you back safe, I know.” 

The next morning Doctor Semproni and the Marchese 
started on their journey, guided by Giovanni, whose large soft 



CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


13 

dark eyes glowed with gratitude as he thanked the good 
gentlemen. 

Crezina and her maid saw them off, and walked part of the 
way after them ; but the Marchese had some miles farther to 
go than Giovanni’s village, to visit some distant friends, so he 
kissed his hand to his little daughter and rode briskly on. The 
Doctor followed more slowly, on Crezina’s donkey, guided by 
Giovanni, who was evidently accustomed to climbing hills ; and 
his anxiety to reach home and bring aid to his mother seemed 
to give fresh swiftness to his steps, and he kept well in advance 
of the kind Doctor. 

On his return the Doctor found Crezina waiting at the 
garden-gate. She came running to meet him, and asked 
immediately, “Where is my papa?” 

“ He will be here soon, carissima mia. I would have gone on 
to meet him, but this animaluccio of yours would not allow me. 
You have spoilt him, little one I coaxed, flattered, implored, 
and even gave him the stick, but he shook his ears with the 
greatest impertinence, as if to say, ‘ There is a fly somewhere, 
trying to tease me.’ ” 

Crezina laughed at the description of her donkey’s behaviour, 
and chattered away to the Doctor while he had some refresh- 
ment, asking many questions about Giovanni’s mother and 
home. 

“ Are they so very poor?” she asked, her eyes soft with pity 
and sympathy, as he said that the poor woman was nearly 
starved. 

“Yes, that is it, poor soul! but my medicine will do her 
good.” 

Then they went into the garden, and sitting down on a 
sunny seat, Crezina coaxed her kind old friend for some of the 



CHRISTMAS IN ITALY* 


wonderful stories of fairies and elves that he often delighted her 
with. 

“ How I wish there were fairies now !” exclaimed Crezina 
with great earnestness. 

“ What would you choose now, Crezina mia, if a fairy should 
ask you ?” enquired the Doctor. 


15 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 

Crezina thought deeply a few moments. “ 1 would like some 
one to play with me.” 

“ But you have plenty of little friends.” 

“ Yes, but I mean some one to be always here — a brother or 
a sister, like Isabella Torreano. She has two brothers and a 
sister. They have such lovely games when I go there. Do you 
know,” whispered Crezina, creeping close to her friend, “ what I 
mean to ask papa to give me on my next birthday ? It comes 
on the Innocents’ Day, and last year papa took me to see all the 
little children in the Asylum of the Innocenti in Florence. 
They have no fathers or mothers, and I mean to ask papa to 
buy one, and let me have it for a brother or sister !” 

“You had better wait for that good fairy to come, I think.” 

“ Ah ! no, there are really no fairies now — that was long, 
long ago,” answered Crezina, shaking her head sadly. “ But 
there are angels, and one night, if I can only keep awake long 
enough, I shall perhaps see one, like the Shepherds did, on that 
first Christmas night, and then I will ask it to bring me a little 
brother. But one must be so very, very good to see an angel, 
and I am often very wicked.” 

“ You must try and do all the good you can, my child — 
above all be kind to every one — and who knows, some day you 
may get your wish,” said the Doctor, patting the little dark 
head nestling against his shoulder. 

“Ah! here is papa; let us run to meet him!” exclaimed 
Crezina, jumping up and trying to pull the Doctor along to keep 
up with her ; but he laughed so much at the idea, that she was 
forced to leave him, and bounded forward to meet her father, 
who caught his little girl in his arms and kissed her fondly. 

A servant announced that the luncheon was ready, so all 
three went in, the Doctor describing his visit to the cottage. 


1 6 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


" The poor woman was simply sinking from want of food. 
If she had some of these good cutlets and a little of this wine, it 
would do her more good than any amount of medicine/’ he 
concluded. 

“ I feel interested in that boy,” said the Marchese. “ He 
seemed rather out of the common run of peasant boys : his face 
seemed familiar to me, but I may have seen him before in my 
rides — I pass so many.” 

“ It is not an ordinary face,” replied the Doctor, musingly. 
‘‘But, my dear friend, you are not eating much, after your 
long ride. My excursion has given me a prodigious appetite ; 

in fact, I felt quite wolfish, and 
was just on the point of eating 
up Crezina when you arrived.” 

Crezina laughed merrily, and 
her father’s grave face brightened, 
as he heard her merry voice. “ As 
for my old bones, Crezina’s donkey 
has shaken them up, I can tell 
you,” went on the Doctor. 

“Come and have a smoke in 
my study, I have a great deal to 
talk to you about, and it is not 
often I can get you to listen, my 
friend,” said the Marchese, taking 
the Doctor s arm. “ Good-bye for the present, my treasure, 
amuse yourself till dinner-time, our grave talk would only bore 
you,” he continued, stooping down to kiss Crezina. “ I dare say 
poor Bijou would like a run.” Left alone in the dining-room, 
Crezina threw herself into one of the big carved chairs, to look 
at the servants clearing the table. This was more amusing than 



CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


*7 

running about the garden alone, and the old butler talked 
about her pug Bijou’s cleverness, at which he had never ceased 
to wonder. 



“He is just like a cristiano. Just look now, he knows 
there are chicken cutlets, and other good things, so he won’t 
eat the bits I have scraped off the plates. ‘ No/ says he, 
* Antonio, I know better.’” Crezina laughed as she noticed 
Bijou’s disdainful sniff at the plate offered him, and the look 


i8 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


of utter disgust he put on, after turning over the bones and 
scraps with his nose. 

“ Give him a cutlet, poor little thing ; there are plenty left, 
Antonio.” 

“Ah, Signorina, it seems wicked to give food like that to 
a dog, when so many poor people never taste meat the whole 
winter through, though of course Bijou is not an ordinary 
animal,” said Antonio, cutting a small piece off a cutlet for 
Bijou, who condescended to swallow it 

Crezina sat thinking, after the servants had left the room, 
and Bijou, delighted to see her quiet for once, jumped up into 
her lap, and settled himself for a cosy nap. 

“ Above all, be kind,” the good old Doctor had said. 44 What 
can I do ? ” she pondered. 44 1 would like to do some good 
action. Bijou ! I have an idea. I will tell it you, so don’t 
pretend to be asleep when I am talking to you. I won’t call 
Bettina, for she is at her dinner, but I shall dress myself and 
take some nice food to Giovanni’s mother. Doctor Semproni 
said it would do her more good than medicine. What shall 
we take, Bijou ? Cutlets ? ” 

Bijou pricked up one ear, and gave one wag of his curly tail. 

“Yes, you dear, clever thing, you understand quite well,” 
went on Crezina, kissing his black, wrinkled forehead, “you 
shall come too.” At this, Bijou became quite excited, and gave 
a short bark, then jumped down and stood looking at Crezina, 
wagging his tail. 

“Yes, Bijou, you are quite right, we must go at once,” and 
Crezina left the room and went towards the kitchen. The 
servants were all at their midday meal, and the larder-door 
was soon opened. There lay a pile of delicately-fried cutlets, 
some jelly in a bowl, some little cakes, besides other things, 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


A9 



cooked and uncooked. Crezina hesitated between a chicken 
and some rissoles, but finally, remembering the Doctor’s words, 
she decided on the cutlets and some chocolate cakes, “just the 
things for a sick person,” she thought, and the bowl of jelly, and 
also put in a small bottle of rosolio , a liqueur much used in 

Italian cooking for 
flavouring. All was put 
in a basket Bijou was 
deeply interested in 
these proceedings, and 
scratched wildly at her 
dress all the time to try 
and get up to the cup- 
board. Crezina gave 
him a cake, and then 
ran to get her hat. “ My 
garden one will do,” she 
said to herself, putting 
on her flat velvet cap 
and knotting a large red 
silk handkerchief round 
her throat. The jacket 
was too troublesome to 
get on by herself. “ I 
shall be back long be- 
fore dinner-time if I am very quick. How surprised they will 
be when they hear where I have been,” she thought, as she 
started off, Bijou close at her heels. 

There was a delightful sense of adventure about this expe- 
dition. “ I am doing a good action,” she repeated to herself, 
and yet there was a feeling of anxiety lest she should be seen 


20 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


and stopped. Else why did she avoid the usual path to the 
big gates, which led past the study window, and choose a little 
winding path through the wood at the back of the house, and 
climb the fence which divided it from the road? She had 
never been out without a governess or her maid Bettina, and 
the unusual freedom was very exciting and delightful, she 
thought. Once on the high road, she followed the path she 
had seen the Doctor take, Bijou trotting happily along beside 
her, licking his lips in anticipation of the feast he thought she 
had provided for them. Indeed, the raid on the cupboard had 
raised his opinion of his little mistress’s sagacity. “ It was an 
idea worthy of my great mind, he thought. 

It was a lovely afternoon, cloudless sunshine, and a pleasant 
invigorating breeze stirred the leaves of the dark ilex trees, 
and seemed to Crezina to be voices murmuring encourage- 
ment. She met one or two peasants, who greeted her smilingly, 
and stopped to look after her, wondering how it was the little 
Marchesina was alone. A little farther on she enquired her 
way to the village of Varni of an old peasant, who told her 
it was about an hour’s walk, the short way. 

“Which is the short way?” asked Crezina. 

“Through the wood there, little lady,” he answered, waving 
his hand towards a hill covered with ilex and pine trees. 

“Thank you,” and Crezina hurried on. Once in the wood, 
however, she became bewildered as to which way to go, and 
wandered about some time till her little feet began to ache, 
her thin shoes being but slight protection from the stones and 
rough ground, and the basket began to feel very heavy. Bijou, 
too, thought they had walked far enough and it was time for 
the feast, so sat obstinately down. Crezina, thinking he was 
tired, managed to lift him up in her arms, and struggled on 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


21 


a little farther, but the load was too much for her (Bijou being 
extremely well-fed), and at last she agreed to Bijou’s proposal 
that they should sit down and rest. Bijou sniffed at the basket 
and then sat up and begged. 

“ Well, you shall have one ; there will be plenty left,” said 
Crezina, handing him one of the cutlets. Then the long 
walk had made her feel 
rather hungry too, and she 
could not resist one of the 
chocolate cakes. Presently 
she became aware of some 
one standing near, and look- 
ing up, saw a little peasant 
girl, about her own age 
gazing longingly at the 
cutlet Bijou was munching. 

M Good day, Signorina,” 
she said, smiling and showing 
her brilliant white teeth. 

“ That is a lucky dog, I 
wouldn’t mind being him.” 

“Why, are you hungry?” 
enquired Crezina. 

“ Well, not exactly ; at 
least I didn’t think so, till I saw that food, and it looks so 
delicious ! ” said the little maiden. “ I would give my wooden 
shoes for one of those cutlets. I see yours are wet through, and 
too thin for walking.” 

“ I will give you a cutlet with pleasure, little girl ; and if you 
will sell me your shoes I will give you all I have in my purse 
But what will you do without shoes ? ” 



22 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


“ I am accustomed to go without, Signorina; thank you very 
much,” said the child, as she received the food, and stood 
watching anxiously while Crezina opened her purse. 

“ I have two lire ; will that be enough ?” 

“Two lire ! What a lot of money ! Yes indeed, Signorina, 
more than enough ; one would be plenty.” 

“ You shall have the other for showing me the way to 
Varni.” 

The little peasant clapped her hands with joy. 

“It is well to be you,” she said ; “ you must never need to 
wish for anything.” 

Crezina laughed at the child’s delight, and then tried on the 
little shoes, which were very pretty, made of red velvet and 
wooden soles with heels. 

“ They are quite smart,” said Crezina, admiringly. 

“Yes, they are new; but I am more comfortable without 
them, and I only wear them on feast-days and Sundays ; 
besides, with all this money, I can easily buy more.” 

Crezina started off again, accompanied by her new friend, 
who chattered away quite gaily. Her name was Graziella, and 
she had several brothers and sisters, whom she loved very much, 
and she pitied Crezina heartily for having none. Her father 
and mother had to work hard to give them all food in the 
winter time, and very often they went to bed hungry, when 
there was not enough polenta for them all. (Polenta is a sort of 
dough or paste made of Indian corn, and is the principal food of 
the Italian peasant in the winter time.) Still, they were not so 
poor as some people. Cecco, for instance, spent all his earnings 
on drink, and his children were in rags, poverini , and so thin, it 
made one’s heart ache to look at them ; and they were so 
ill-mannered ; as her mother said, they were born without any 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


23 


education, so what could one expect ? They never said “ Good 
morning !” if they met any one, or kissed the Vicar’s hand, but 
would run away and hide if any one looked at them ; and so, on 
she chattered, till Crezina nearly forgot her fatigue, although it 
was not so easy to walk in the wooden shoes. She found it 



rather difficult to keep them on her feet, and they roused Bijou’s 
curiosity, and he would keep sniffing at her feet and trying to 
snap at the heels, not understanding why they kept clapping at 
every step. At last they reached the end of the wood, and 
Graziella pointed up a steep, stony path. 

“ J ust go up there, past the little Madonna set in the rock, 
and it will bring you to Varni. Any one will tell you where 
Assunta Ferri lives. Good-bye, Signorina, and many thanks ! 
You must make haste, for it will be soon dark ; the sun has just 
set — look !” and Graziella pointed to the west, where the last red 
glow illumined the sky. Crezina gazed at the distant purple 
hills, where here and there a stone pine stood out dark and 
distinct against the clear sky, of delicate blue changing to pale 
green where it met the golden light of the setting sun. In the 
distance she saw the Villa San Renato, and almost wished 



CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


24 



herself 
there, 
but her 
courage 
returned 
when she 
thought of 
the pleasure 
she was about to 
give Giovanni, and the 
remembrance of his tearful 
face in the church. The sound of 
the church-bells ringing the Ave Maria 
made her turn. 

“Goodbye, Graziella! You must come and 
see me at the Villa there : that is my home,” she said, 
pointing it out. 

“Really, Signorina? What a beautiful place!” exclaimed 
Graziella, admiringly. “ But if you want to get back there 
to-night, you must be very quick, for you have still a good little 
bit to go.” 

“Yes; addio, Graziella, till we meet again,” and Crezina 
began the ascent. 

But deprived of her cheery little companion, and the path 
being very stony and difficult, poor Crezina began to feel very 
weary, and it needed all her courage to keep on. The darkness, 
too, which follows so quickly on the Italian sunset, was closing 
round her, and her heart began to sink. Her shoes slipped from 
side to side as she struggled up the hill-side, and caused her 
many a stumble. At last one came off altogether, and went 
sliding down the path before she could stop it. Here was a 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


25 


catastrophe ! It was impossible to go on without it, as she soon 
found out, for the stones cut her foot, and she sat down by the 
road-side in despair, tears trickling down her cheeks, as she 
realized her loneliness. Hearing her sob, Bijou — who had 
followed, his affection for his little mistress overcoming his 
dislike to rough roads and long walks — whined in sympathy, 
and put his paws in her lap to try and reach her face, to offer 
her all the consolation in his power. Then he suddenly turned 
round, facing down the road, and gave a low growl. 

“Oh, Bijou, what is it?” cried Crezina, in terror. “If it 
should be a wolf or a robber !” She listened intently, her heart 
beating fast A soft sound floated towards her — the air she had 
heard the Pijferari play. Some one must be playing it before 
the Madonnina she had passed. Would it be Giovanni ? 

“ Giovanni, is it you ?” she called. “ Giovanni !” 

The music stopped, and a voice answered, “Who calls me?” 

“ Come quickly,” cried Crezina, joyfully. 

In a few moments Giovanni stood before her. “ Signorina ! 
You here ? Alone ? What has happened ?” 

Crezina told him all her story : why she had come, the loss 
of her shoe, and her inability to walk any further. The wind 
was blowing cold, and Crezina’s teeth chattered with excitement 
and shivering. 

“ We are quite near home now,” said Giovanni. “ I will take 
you there, and then run to your Villa and tell the Marchese 
where you are, so that he shall not be alarmed.” He took off 
his big blue cloak, and with many apologies, wrapped it round 
her slight little form, then lifting her in his arms, he strode 
briskly on. 

“How kind you are, Giovanni, and how nice and strong,” 
said Crezina, resting her head confidingly on his shoulder. 


2 6 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


“You are not a very heavy load, little lady,” answered 
Giovanni, who was deeply touched by her having started out to 
bring food for his mother. Bijou was held in his mistress’s 
arms, so Giovanni was not sorry to deposit his burden at the 
cottage-door. The sight of the child roused Assunta, who looked 
white and thin, but she became quite active in looking after her 
guests. The kind doctor had already sent a flask or two ol 



good wine and some nourishing broth from a neighbouring inn, 
and she quickly prepared some warm soup for the child, who 
was placed in their one armchair before the fire. Assunta took 
off Crezina’s stockings, and bathed the little wounded foot. She 
had offered some polenta to Bijou, who turned up his nose in 
disgust at such a meal. Assunta gazed at him with much 
respect, especially when he sniffed all round the room, then 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


2 7 


pulled the coverlet off the bed with his teeth, carefully arranged 
it into a heap on the brick floor in front of the fire, and sat 
down on it 

“There now! He knows he belongs to the quality!” she 
exclaimed, in wonder. “ WhaJt intelligence !” 

Seeing Crezina safe in his mother’s care, Giovanni set off to 



the Villa. Assunta was overwhelmed with gratitude at Crezina’s 
visit, and had learnt from Giovanni that it was through her the 
doctor had been. Picking up Crezina’s handkerchief, which 
had fallen to the ground, she noticed the coronet and initials 
embroidered in the corner, and uttered an exclamation of 
surprise. 


28 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


“ What is it ?” asked Crezina. 

“Are you from Naples, Signorina?” asked the woman, 
eagerly. 

“ No, from Rome ; but my mother was Neapolitan. She is 
dead,” answered Crezina. “ Why do you ask ?” 

“ I will show you ! ” and Assunta went to an old carved 
cupboard, the only thing in the room which looked like better 
days, and took out a bundle. In it were some small garments 
belonging apparently to a child of two or three. All were of a 
fine quality, daintily embroidered, and marked with a coronet 
and initials like Crezina’s. 

“How strange!” exclaimed Crezina. “Whose are they? 
How did you get them ?” 

“ It is a long story, Signorina. They are Giovanni’s.” 

“ Oh, do tell me ! I love stories. Who gave them to Gio- 
vanni?” and Crezina leaned her head back, looking pale and 
weary, but her dark eyes shining with eager interest. 

“Well, Signorina, about eleven years ago, I was living 
with my husband at Civita Vecchia. Paolo had some employ- 
ment on the quay there, helping to unload the vessels. One 
day, a small, foreign sailing-boat came in ; they had been sent 
from the ship to the south coast to buy coral and different 
things. On board was a lovely child of about two years old. 
The men made my husband understand that they had found 
him in the boat. He must have climbed in and fallen asleep 
while the sailors were away, or else some one must have wished 
to get rid of him. I could not make out much from the child, 
he was so young. My husband brought him home to me, and 
we did not know how to find his parents. I had lost my own 
little baby not long before, and was only too delighted to keep 
this beautiful boy. The clothes I put carefully away, for, 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


29 


thought I, who knows? perhaps some day he may find out 
his relations. I have never let him feel want, and have tried 
to get him as much education as possible. The Vicario here 
has been very kind, and has taught him to read and write, and 
often lends him books. He says Giovanni is very intelligent. 
Indeed, I have always known he was a Signore, and hoped 
one day he would be found.” 

Crezina was deeply interested, and asked many questions. 
She wondered who Giovanni could be? 

“ I wish he could be my brother,” she said, “ but my brother 
died when he was quite little, papa says. When he comes you 
must tell him all about it, he is sure to be able to find it all 
out, he is so clever, my papa.” 

The time passed quickly during 
this conversation, and before Crezina 
could believe it possible that Gio- 
vanni had reached her home, the sound 
of carriage-wheels startled them, and 
a moment after Giovanni entered, 
followed by the Marchese and Dr. 

Semproni. 

“ My darling child ! Thank God 
you are safe and well ! ” exclaimed her 
father, catching her in his arms. “ My 
poor little one! you must be tired to death. How could you 
frighten me like that? Bettina has been hunting for you all 
the afternoon.” 

“ Dear papa, I am quite rested now,” said Crezina, with 
sparkling eyes and flushed cheeks, clinging round his neck. 

The Marchese thanked Assunta warmly for her kind care 
of his child, and then Crezina drew his attention to the little 



30 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


clothes, pouring out the story she had just heard. Her father 
caught up the little shirt, and examined the mark in eager 
curiosity. 

“Go on, go on,” he said, “tell me all,” turning to Assunta, 
“When did this happen? What year?” he asked, in great 
excitement. “Is it possible? Can it be?” he ejaculated. 
“ Doctor, I believe my long-lost son is found. The child I have 
so long mourned as dead! You remember all the circum- 
stances? How we were in Sorrento that year, and my wife 
and I had gone on an excursion to Paestum with some friends ? 
On our return we found the nursemaid frantic with grief. The 
child had disappeared. She thought he must have wandered 
down the pathway that led to the seashore while she was busy 
elsewhere. How we hunted and searched all that night, offered 
immense rewards, thinking he had been stolen, and no trace 
was ever found, except his straw hat which had been picked 
up by some boatmen far out at sea, and we felt sure the child 
had been drowned, and till this happy day we have heard 
nothing ? ” 

“Stop, my dear friend, do not be hasty,” said the Doctor. 
“ How can we prove it ? ” 

“He is so like my grandfather, for . one thing,” said the 
Marchese, holding Giovanni by the shoulders, and looking 
earnestly in his face. “You remember that portrait, taken 
when he was fourteen? And — let me see — yes, I have it — 
do you not recollect that my boy had a dark mole on his 
right arm, and my wife wanted you to cut it out?” 

“Yes, I do, such foolishness!” muttered the Doctor. 

“ Well, that would be there now,” and he pushed up 
Giovanni’s sleeve. 

Yes, there it was clear enough. The boy looked pale with 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


31 


excitement, and Crezina scarcely breathed. The Marchese 
held Giovanni in a close embrace. “ My son ! ” he murmured, 
his voice choked with emotion, while the Doctor asked several 
questions of Assunta, and felt assured from her simple, honest 
manner that she had told the truth. They had been afraid 
to tell the police of their foundling, and could not read, so 
advertisements had been of no use to them. 



“How delightful!” exclaimed Crezina, “just what I was 
wishing for! I am so glad I came, and Giovanni will come 
home with us ? ” 

But Giovanni could not leave the good woman who had 
so long been a mother to him, until some one came to supply 


32 


CHRISTMAS IN ITALY. 


his place. This the Marchese promised, and that Assunta 
should be comfortably provided for. 

And on the Innocents’ Day, Giovanni, or rather Pasqualino, 
came to his own home, to the great delight of Crezina, who 
danced about with joy, exclaiming, “ Papa, dearest, it is the 
birthday present I wished for so much. 

“ It is our Christmas gift from Heaven, Crezina mia,” 
answered her father, caressing her fondly. And though some 
brothers are not always kind and gentle to their little sisters, 
Crezina never had cause to complain of her’s, and they loved 
each other dearly. Pasqualino had the gentle, courteous 
manners that can be met with as often in a peasant as in a 
prince, for they come from the goodness of the heart and 
thoughtfulness for others, which education cannot always give. 

The Marchese often said he should never forget that happy 
Christmas Day when Crezina watched for the Pijferari , 


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